


A little feedback goes a long way

by Eternatus



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pokemon
Genre: #IFDrabble, Gen, Just a little drabble because I like making Ash sad and then happy again, Pokemon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 05:27:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17801873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternatus/pseuds/Eternatus
Summary: It's not easy, trying to keep optimistic when nothing really goes liked planned. But then again, everyone underestimates the effect of feedback.





	A little feedback goes a long way

**Author's Note:**

> I made a drabble~ Hope you enjoy it! I dedicate it to International Fanworks Day

Ash was just _so_ tired, so much so he could barely muster the energy to get up his chair and do something. Like giving his Pikachu a much needed bath, or giving his Pokémon some well-deserved attention and care, because they were so magnificent... where as he was just... not. Kalos had let him down in many ways, like the fact the teen had _never **ever**_ needed to leave one of his precious friends behind. No criminal had ever been able to take away one of his Pokémon and now Lyssandre had literally demolished Lumiose and several parts of Kalos to the point where Ash had been forced to let go of Greninja, as their Battle-Bond was the only thing which could defeat the evil Team Flare had released. And the Pokémon was still completely connected to him, so it didn't just feel like his friend was still there when he wasn't, Ash also felt how badly Greninja was missing him. The boy could only pray that the Pokémon couldn't feel _his_ emotions, because Ash found himself overwhelmed by them.

"Sweetie, you've been terribly silent." Delia said, sitting down on the edge of the couch the teen had sat himself in a while ago. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know, mom." he answered honestly. "Nothing makes any sense to me right now."

"Something happened in Kalos and I'm not sure whether I like the effect it's having on you. Public secrecy is one thing, but you're young and you should be allowed to speak freely."

Ah yeah, Ash _had_ told her about the Pokémon League official, who had arrived shortly after Professor Sycamore had set of with Alain, to inform him of the fact he wasn't allowed to release any kind of information of what had happened in Kalos. He had even needed to sign a paper, to make sure that he would be punished if he ever violated the order of silence. Of course, his mother instantly took offense to it, but what else could he have done? Flip the bird at a Pokémon League official? With Steven, Diantha and pretty much every Gym Leader from Kalos close enough to all... Well, Ash wasn't sure they would tell him to do anything, but still, it was something he had been very aware of at the time.

"It's not like you could do something about it, even if you did know what happened..." the boy murmured, eyes downcast.

After all, Ash was incredibly torn on how to feel about Lyssandre... One part of him was incredibly confused and worried for the man, because he had thrown himself off a building, for goodness sake! But then another part figured that the man was a criminal and that it was stupid of him to care about someone like that... And then a completely different part of him was mad as heck about the fact Lyssandre had gotten of without proper punishment for his crimes. And seeing that no remains had been found, _was_ the man even dead, to begin with?

"Confiding in someone is part of a recovery process, Ash. I just know that you're not feeling down because you lost the Lumiose Conference."

Oh, she just _had_ to go there, didn't she?

"Losing to a Mega Evolved Pokémon isn't losing!" he cried out. "It's not fair, for someone to receieve a power-up during the end of a battle! And even with a drawback like that, I _still_ came in second! Now tell me again that I didn't do my best!"

"I never said you didn't do your best, sweetie."

Ash deflated instantly, sinking back into the chair. His mother always knew what buttons to push when he was upset, or rather, even when he wasn't. But that was probably a mom-thing, knowing their kid's weak spots...

"In fact, I'm very proud of you, Ash, but not because you came in second in the tournament." the woman said softly. "You participated in something incredibly dangerous, so much so, that the Pokémon League is doing the utmost that no one knows what exactly happened. Several mothers would probably be tying their children to a chair, should they know what happened in Lumiose, but not me."

"... Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, because I know that _you_ would be able to get through whatever happens on your path." she said, causing Ash to turn to her, with wide eyes. "I'm not expecting you to be a tournament winner, Ash, or to come home covered in trophies, because that's not what a journey is about. I can see that you're growing up, but that's all thanks to the experiences you've already gone through. Oh, sweetie, you're already so much smarter than the boy who left in his pyjamas, the laughing-stock of the town. But there's no one laughing at you now."

Well, Professor Oak had said he looked like death warmed over, so of course no one was laughing at him, while he was looking like that... No one wanted his mom's wrath over them either, so how they dared to laugh in the first place, Ash didn't know. Mabe she thought he was a little bit of a loser at the time too...

"Don't go there."

"Go where? I'm still in my seat." the teen answered.

"I can see on your face that you're thinking about something bad. You always pull that face when you're doubting yourself." Delia said. "I can't believe you can still think about stuff like that when we all know you're pretty amazing."

"Do I get a Pokédollar for every time you've moaned about being a bad mother too then?"

"Cheeky."

"Mom, it's fine."

"No, it's not. You've been fighting at the side of some amazing trainers, the least being the winner of the Conference and all you do is sit here, looking sorry for yourself."

Ash blinked.

"I might not know everything about what happened in Lumiose, sweetheart, but no Champion can ever board a plane without some kind of reporter knowing about it. So I know Steven Stone was there and that he _rushed_ to Kalos, highly likely to aid with the situation." the woman said and from that point on, the teen knew he should never underestimate the importance of those magazines his mother read. "So, whatever are you thinking, that you are a bad trainer while you've fought side-by-side with a Champion?"

"... Not _really_ side-by-side. I mean, whatever I did wasn't nearly as glorious as Steven, who just _appeared_ and fixed everything. Well, not everything, but still a large part of it."

"Maybe what you were _doing_ wasn't as important as who you were _being_ at the time."

"... I don't get it."

"Well, then tell me someone else who would stand up against an incredible evil on a whim?"

The boy stilled.

"I don't really think that's considered to be a skill, mom."

"Oh, please, sweetie. There are Champions who go and hide when there is trouble, while you go out and do something about it. What would being a hotspot trainer do for you, Ash?"

"It's kind of nice to be important."

"But it's more important to be nice."

"I _am_ nice, all the time, any time!" he retorted.

"I know. That's why I had to rent several tables and chairs for the party I'm hosting for you, so everyone can actually take a seat and be comfortable while we celebrate your return from Kalos. Heaven knows how you do it, but you know _a lot_ lot of people, sweetie. Which is also one of the reason I know you're doing fine. If only you would realise it too..."

"I'll do my best for you, if it'll make your day. That being said, wasn't that party supposed to be a surprise?"

"... Oh..." the woman paused, but shrugged. "Eh, it doesn't matter, this will give you some time to get that haughty expression off your face before you get jumped on by several, already worried teens. I hope you will manage keeping silent about the Incident at the Lumiose Conference, because those kids are something else, I tell you that. They'll pry it straight out of you!"

Ash already had a grin on his face, just thinking about it. Heck, it wasn't as if those Pokémon League officials were living under their floorboards, so the boy could say whatever he wanted to his friends, if only to comfort them that he was okay. To hell with Lyssandre and his ego-centrical speech too! It was fine if the man decided to do something drastic with his life, but he was _not_ going to drag Ash down with him. And that evil in Kalos would be defeated some day too, so after that, Greninja would come back to him as well and then they would show the world something!

"Ah." Delia said, smiling widely. "There's the smile I know and love."

The teen just grinned even wider than he had already been before.

"Welcome home, sweetie."


End file.
